North Texas Daily

Reece Waddell | Senior Staff Writer

@ReeceTapout15

One of the lone bright spots for the Mean Green football team this season, senior wide receiver Carlos Harris spends most of his days making highlight reel plays and torching defensive backs with his breakneck speed.

But Harris has a passion off the field many do not know about, one he said rivals his passion for making plays on the gridiron: owning and managing his own clothing line, Dapyr.

“Growing up, my dad and my granddad dressed really well,” Harris said. “I went through a point where I didn’t really care about fashion, but toward the end of high school I started to really get into it.”

Harris describes his brand as “high fashion street wear” and has modeled his line after companies like Represent Clothing.

Coming out of high school, Harris partnered with a few of his friends to form the Dapyr line.

He said all of them have a passion for fashion and undertake different tasks.

“I’m mostly in charge of denim, and my friend is in charge of shirts. It’s a pretty unique style,” Harris said. “I’m really into jeans, so that is mainly what I do right now. That and hats.”

Just because Harris manages his own fashion line does not mean he isn’t committed to playing football.

In fact, Harris said his responsibilities with the team come first, which at

times makes it challenging to contribute to the company the way he would like to.

“My friends have to help out a lot because obviously, I’m up here all the time doing this,” Harris said. “And don’t get me wrong, I love [playing football]. But there have been times when I haven’t been able to do everything I wanted to do, but I provide feedback and input any chance I can.”

When Harris isn’t working on his clothing line, Dapyr, Harris averages 103 yards and 6.75 receptions per game this season, and is also just 66 catches shy of breaking the North Texas all-time record for receptions held by Casey Fitzgerald. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer

His teammates have also taken notice of his off the field endeavor. Sophomore running back Jeffrey Wilson said Harris talks about his line frequently, so almost everyone on the team knows about his life as a fashion guru.

“Oh yeah, he talks about it,” Wilson said. “But it’s really cool. A lot of the guys in the locker know about it, and I think it’s awesome. It’s different.”

When asked if he would wear any of Harris’ clothes, Wilson had a simple response.

“No way, man. It’s way too expensive for me,” he said. “Great look though.”

Even though he dedicates hours to his fashion line, his loyalty to the team has paid dividends. Harris is averaging 103 yards and 6.75 receptions per game this season, and is also just 66 catches shy of breaking the North Texas all-time record for receptions held by Casey Fitzgerald.

But success has not always come easy for the senior. Officially listed at 5’8, Harris is the fourth shortest player on the Mean Green roster.

Head coach Dan McCarney said he is proud of the progression Harris has made on the field the past four years.

“He’s done what he’s done ever since I got here, and that’s make plays,” McCarney said. “He’s a competitive guy, and whether the defense is in man or zone, he just believes he can beat people. Every Saturday he defies the odds because he is one of the smallest players on a Division 1 football field, but that doesn’t matter to him.”

Harris said he has used several tactics to overcome his height problems, but he credits one thing in particular for staying resolute year after year for both of his passions.

“Really, you just have to have that mindset, and for me, my dad always pushed me to be the best,” he said. “It didn’t matter what it was. Whether it was football or fashion, he always pushed me to get better.”

In his final season of collegiate play, Harris said he is unsure of what his path will be after his time at North Texas is over.

If his aspiration to play in the National Football League does not pan out, Harris hopes to go into fashion marketing and earn a living either designing custom pieces or continuing his own line.

“If [Dapyr] doesn’t take off, it’s okay. I really like making custom pieces for people,” he said. “I actually make a lot of custom pieces for myself, so I hope to continue to be able to do that.”

Until Harris knows whether or not he will be sporting an NFL jersey come draft time next April, he intends on continuing to dress to impress while making plays for the Mean Green on the field.

“Without a doubt, I’m the best dressed player on this team,” he said. “I pull it off.”

Featured Photo: Senior wide receiver Carlos Harris poses with a collection of hats from his fashion line, DAPYR, at Apogee Stadium. Dylan Nadwodny | Staff Photographer