Eighteen members of the Arizona Cardinals rookie class, including all seven of the team’s 2008 draft choices, will visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Friday, May 30 as an expanded element of their annual rookie orientation program.

Led by Cardinals Senior Director of Player Development Anthony Edwards, the group will travel from Phoenix to Canton tomorrow following the team’s OTA and meet up with Cardinals Hall of Fame safety Larry Wilson for the visit. The Cardinals players will be joined by rookies from Denver, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.

These rookie trips were implemented league-wide in 2008 and are intended to give incoming players an understanding of the NFL’s rich history as well as the opportunities and responsibilities ahead of them.

The rookies will take a tour of the Hall of Fame, view an NFL Films presentation and listen to a series of NFL speakers during their one-day visit.

The idea was inspired by 2007 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Michael Irvin in a conversation with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last August in Canton.

The trips to Canton are part of several rookie orientation initiatives designed to ease new players’ transition to the NFL. Draftees also will attend the annual Rookie Symposium in San Diego from June 29-July 2.

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