Lavar Arrington -- I've Got a Man Crush on Tom Brady

He's handsome ... he's talented ... and he smells DIVINE -- which is why Lavar Arrington tells TMZ Sports he's got a full-blown man-crush on his former nemesis Tom Brady.

The ex-linebacker -- who competed against Brady in college and in the NFL -- was out in Los Angeles this week when he professed his love for the future Hall of Fame QB.

"Tom Brady ... I'm secure in my manhood when I say this. I've got like a super big crush on you," Arrington said.