It’s clear who Broncos rookie DaeSean Hamilton wants to mold his game after

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — DaeSean Hamilton strolled up to his first media scrum as a member of the Denver Broncos with an oddly familiar look.

“I like really fancy glasses, really big glasses, stuff like that,” the rookie said, donning black Ray-Ban glasses that could have covered his eyes even if they were the size of baseballs. “A lot of people think these are fake, but I actually need these.”

It was almost as if the rookie — on his second day in the building — went into Von Miller’s locker and grabbed a pair of one of his big-framed, stylish glasses. The rookie wasn’t surprised by the comparison: “Obviously, I took notice of the type of glasses he wears, too,” he said with a smile, referring to Von.

Although he’s already nearly got the look down to a tee, the rookie wide receiver isn’t planning on shaping his game after the Super Bowl 50 MVP pass rusher anytime soon. But there is one player the 23-year-old is attempting to mold his game after.

Minutes — literally — after the Denver Broncos selected DaeSean in the fourth-round to add to their receiving core, new fellow receiver Courtland Sutton pinpointed who he and Hamilton hope they can eventually be.

“I think he is more so like ‘E-man’ (Emmanuel Sanders). I am more like Demaryius [Thomas],” Sutton said, putting the bar high for the two rookies.

Without consulting Hamilton before, Sutton appeared to have read Hamilton’s mind. On Friday, during the team’s first day of their three-day rookie minicamp, Hamilton was asked if he looks at Sanders’ game to learn from. His answer after he gave the immediate “Yeah” was even more resounding.

“Actually I just asked the video guys from the Broncos to put a lot of Emmanuel Sanders tape on my iPad specifically so I can just watch and learn,” he said. “By the time I get on the field with him and a lot of other vets — like Demaryius Thomas and a lot of other guys — I can just really go in and have questions and learn a lot from them as much as I possibly can too.”

At 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, Hamilton has a slight size advantage over Sanders’ 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame. Yet, on the draft board, Sanders had the slight advantage as he went in the third round where DaeSean fell to the fourth. But their similarities as players go significantly beyond their near-parallel stature and draft status.

“I’m not just going to classify myself into one position,” Hamilton said when asked if he’s a slot receiver. “I’m going to try to really be on the field any way possible, whether that be in the slot or on the outside. But either way, I’m going to try to make the most out of any opportunity that I get… There could be an opening in the slot.”

Before joining the Broncos, Sanders spent a significant amount of his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the slot. When he moved to Denver to team up with Thomas and Peyton Manning, he moved to the outside where he has flourished ever since — posting three consecutive 1,000 yard receiving seasons from 2014 to 2016.

“I’ve obviously played my last two seasons of college in the slot, but my first two years before that I was inside and outside,” Hamilton said, showing the same versatility to play anywhere on the field much as Sanders has.

“Any opportunity that I see I’m going to try to make the most of it… Really, wherever [wide receiver] coach [Zach] Azzanni sees me fitting in best into this offense and really where I can see myself flourishing as best as possible as well. It’s all about fit.”

After coaching Antonio Brown in college, Hamilton’s new receiving coach has the tools necessary to connect DaeSean with the league’s best receiver. However, Hamilton hasn’t even thought about reaching out to Brown for advice, instead setting his sights on learning from the man donning No. 10 in Orange & Blue.

Fortunately for the rook salivating to drink in all advice, the vet he aspires to be is willing to lend a helping hand and teach him the tricks of the trade.

“I’m going to teach those guys everything that I know. That’s my job,” Sanders said, talking specifically about Sutton and Hamilton after the draft. “You see a lot of these cats, when they get up in age, they kind of shy away from the rookies. I will never, ever be that type of receiver that says, ‘No, I’m not going to teach this guy.’ I’m going to teach you everything that I can possibly do.”

Weeks into the 2016 season, fresh off the Super Bowl 50 victory, Sanders publicly stated he wanted the ball thrown his way more despite the team having a winning record. While that rubbed many people outside the organization the wrong way, the nine-year vet has always played with a me-against-the-world mentality.

His new mentee sings to the same tune.

When asked if he has a chip on his shoulder because he was a fourth-round pick, DaeSean quickly responded: “Absolutely. That’s my mentality.”

“I could have been anywhere in the middle to late rounds, I would have had a chip on my shoulder regardless because I have high expectations for myself,” he said passionately. “I’m willing to work hard no matter where I would have gotten drafted at. Just work hard and make the most out of any opportunity that I get.”

That attitude appeared to work out fairly nice for the player Hamilton’s now aspiring to be, as Sanders has two Pro Bowls to his name and is donning a shiny Super Bowl ring.