Manti Te'o: I'VE GOT A HOT GF ... Yes, She's Real

Manti Te'o has officially rebounded from Lennay Kekua (R.I.P.) ... and his new girlfriend is a smokin' hot model.

The lady who locked up the linebacker is Jovi Niicole -- and according to our friends at BSO, she's been quietly connected to the San Diego Chargers star for a couple of months.

Unclear how they met ... but one thing's for sure -- she's real and she's spectacular.

Of course, Te'o's dating history made national news a few years ago -- when it was revealed he was a victim in a catfishing hoax carried out by a dude pretending to be a woman who seduced Te'o online.