Former Boise State tailback D.J. Harper padded his NFL résumé Thursday afternoon at the Broncos' pro day workout.

Cornerback Jamar Taylor confirmed his.

Fullback Dan Paul, linebacker J.C. Percy, defensive tackle Mike Atkinson and cornerback Jerrell Gavins also gave scouts from 16 NFL teams and one CFL team reasons to take a longer look at them.

Harper likely benefited the most. He decided to redo four of the running tests from the NFL Scouting Combine and improved all of his numbers - some of them significantly.

He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds, which would have ranked third among running backs at the combine. He ran 4.52 in Indianapolis.

"My 40 time was top six among running backs, and the other numbers (at the combine) were solid as well," Harper said, "but I knew personally I could do better because at my (training) facility I had done better and even here I had done better, so I might as well redo it, improve those times and look a little better.

"… It went great out there today. I improved all my times - hit all the numbers that I was going for."

Harper trimmed his 20-yard shuttle time from 4.35 seconds to 4.13, his 60-yard shuttle from 11.85 to 11.38, and his three-cone drill from 7.07 to 6.88. All of his new numbers would have ranked in the top six among running backs at the combine.

He also was sharp in the position drills.

"I thought he looked good," an NFL scout told the Idaho Statesman. "... I thought it helped (retaking the tests). It looks good when you come out and compete. And he did well."

Harper was relieved to complete the workout, the last leg in a journey that has included an all-star game (Texas vs. Nation) and the combine - events where the mental toll of meeting with team representatives was as noticeable as the physical toll.

He also has been working out three times a day.

"Not a lot of people can say they have a good shot at doing what they've wanted to do ever since they were 6," Harper said, "but it still has been long and grueling. … Now that (pro day) is over with, I can chill out a little bit."

Taylor ran the 60 shuttle (10.91) because he didn't do it at the combine and performed position drills run by Boise State defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake.

"I felt like one drill was kind of rough, but everything else I feel pretty confident in," Taylor said. "The important thing was footwork, because that's football. … As a corner, you need to show your feet and your hips."

Taylor has emerged as a likely second-round draft pick, if not a late first-rounder. He has aced each step of draft prep, the scout said, from the Senior Bowl to the combine to pro day.

"He just keeps working his way up," the scout said.

Nine other former Broncos participated Thursday - Paul, Atkinson, Percy, Gavins, linebacker Tommy Smith, defensive lineman Darren Koontz, linebacker/safety Dextrell Simmons, offensive lineman Brenel Myers and 2011 senior Jarrell Root. Among the noteworthy performances:

• Paul (6-foot-1, 262 pounds), a likely undrafted free agent signee, posted the best vertical jump of the participants at 37.5 inches. He also ran the 40 in 4.76 seconds, posted 9 feet, 8 inches in the broad jump and benched 225 pounds 30 times. His bench would have ranked third among running backs at the combine. "He had a nice day," the scout said.

• Gavins didn't run the 40 or the 60 shuttle because of a hamstring he tweaked Saturday. He performed well in other tests and the position drills, but he measured 5-foot-7 7/8 - a tough blow to his NFL chances. He was listed at 5-9 at Boise State.

• Atkinson, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament Nov. 3 against San Diego State, didn't run but told scouts he could. He did 32 reps on the bench press, which would have tied for fourth at the combine.

• Percy, who weighed in at 233, ran the 40 in a solid 4.72. That might be enough to get the former walk-on from Blackfoot, who led Boise State in tackles last season, an invite to an NFL training camp.

• Smith ran fullback drills - he played the position part time in 2011 - and Root ran some routes as a tight end to expand their options.

Chadd Cripe: 377-6398,Twitter: @IDS_BroncoBeat