Desherrius Flowers still dreams about playing in the NFL, despite his football career taking an unexpected detour.

Just three years ago, Flowers ranked among the state's elite football prospects while at Vigor High near Mobile and enrolled early at Alabama in the same class with defensive tackle Da'Ron Payne, a first-round pick in last week's NFL draft.

Flowers, though, sits a long way from professional football, having spent spring practice fighting for playing time at Grambling State (La.), a Football Championship Subdivision program.

Does he still think he can get to the NFL?

"I feel like it's 100 percent possible," he said. "I have a lot of confidence in myself and my talent. I always keep a positive mindset."

Flowers represents one of the greatest "what if?" stories in recent memory, a can't-miss prospect who left Alabama under mysterious circumstances and has played most of his college career in obscurity. Had he stayed at Alabama, he would have already won two national championships and played for a third.

Flowers spoke little of his time at Alabama during a recent interview with AL.com, and he emphasized his commitment to remaining positive while his career has taken twists and turns.

His sunny outlook was no surprise to Ashley Johnson, his high school coach at Vigor.

"He just keeps getting up and keeps going," Johnson said. "Very proud of him."

Flowers enrolled early at Alabama and participated in 2015 spring practice. He was ranked as the state's No. 2 running back prospect, just behind Mr. Football Kerryon Johnson, who left Auburn after three years and was drafted Saturday in the second round by the Detroit Lions.

A four-star freshman, Flowers was part of the same signing class as current Bama senior Damien Harris.

Flowers went through spring practice and carried one time for 2 yards on A-Day 2015 while playing behind future Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry and future NFL running back Kenyan Drake.

The NCAA ruled Flowers ineligible in June 2015 - after spring drills - amid questions about his ACT score. That sent him to Jones County (Miss.) Community College, a particularly disappointing move after he suffered a shoulder injury at Alabama.

Flowers initially planned to play at Jones County for a year and re-sign with Alabama but didn't realize NCAA rules required him to graduate from junior college to play at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.

That's how he ended up at Grambling State, where he ran 49 times for 129 yards last season. He said he couldn't bench-press for a year after shoulder surgery and only now feels completely healthy.

He admits he felt bitterness after leaving Alabama before playing a snap, but that's subsided.

"I look at it as something to make me fight even harder," he said.

Flowers committed to Alabama before his junior season at Vigor, as his build and running style drew comparisons to Mr. Football T.J. Yeldon, who played at Alabama before becoming a second-round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Alabama offered Flowers after he ran for 922 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore. He tallied 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior before an ankle injury derailed his senior season.

As time passed, Flowers lost touch with most of his former teammates at Alabama. He said he occasionally talks to running back Ronnie Clark and safety Ronnie Harrison, who was picked Saturday in the third round by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Now listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds and on schedule to graduate with a criminal justice degree next spring, Flowers said he's still chasing his football dreams.

"He just doesn't quit. I love that about him," Johnson said. "He's always had that football dream and he continues to chase it. He's getting close to a degree. ... Grambling is a good place. He's getting an education and still playing football."

Flowers said he's learned a lot about himself on his football odyssey.

"Keep God first, stay positive and don't let anyone tell you what you can't do," he said. "That's life. Everything happens for a reason. ... I thank God for all of my blessings."