| Bill Enyart | |
| Number: | 41, 46 |
| Position: | Running back / linebacker |
| Birth Date: | 28 April 1947 |
| Birth Place: | Pawhuska, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Turner, Oregon, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 4 |
| Weight Lbs: | 235 |
| High School: | Medford (OR) |
| College: | Oregon State |
| Draftyear: | 1969 |
| Draftround: | 2 |
| Draftpick: | 27 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Highlights: | |
| Pfr: | EnyaBi00 |
| Collegehof: | 2266 |
Born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, Enyart grew up in Medford, Oregon, and was a standout prep athlete at Medford High School. In his three seasons playing varsity football, the "Black Tornado" compiled a record and an in his sophomore season (1962); he also played varsity basketball and baseball and graduated from MHS
Enyart played college football for the Oregon State Beavers under head coach Dee Andros, who arrived in Corvallis from Idaho in 1965. After spending his freshman year on the mandatory "Rook" team, he played linebacker as a sophomore in 1966, and was the starting fullback for the famed OSU Giant Killers Enyart earned first-team All-Pac-8 Conference honors in 1967 and 1968 and first-team All-American honors
In the three seasons Enyart lettered, the Beavers posted an overall record of He was chosen to play in five post-season All-Star games: East-West Shrine Game, Senior Bowl, Coaches All-America Game, College All-Star Game, and the Hula Bowl, where he was named the outstanding back. During his career at Oregon State, he rushed for 2,155 yards, seventh-most ever
Enyart was selected early in the second round of the 1969 NFL/AFL Draft (27th overall) by the Buffalo Bills, who took Heisman Trophy-winning halfback with the first in every game in 1969 and 1970, but wanted to play for a team on the West Coast; he was traded to the Oakland Raiders in January 1971 and converted to linebacker.[1]
He injured his left knee in a preseason game against the New York Jets in mid-August, but team doctors advised against surgery. Enyart was activated for only one game, the season finale, but Oakland was the best team to miss the playoffs. Difficulties continued with the knee and he finally had surgery in October 1972, but never played
Enyart was inducted into the Oregon State University Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. In May 2011, he was selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.[2] He eventually settled back in Oregon at Bend to raise his two children, and worked as a Medicaid case worker for the State of Oregon until he retired. Enyart died of cancer at age 67 in Turner in 2015.[3]