Ex-NFL Star Michael Clayton -- Extreme Home Makeover ... For Ex-Foster Kids

Ex-NFL star Michael Clayton is getting his Ty Pennigton on ... 'cause the Super Bowl champ is going makeover mad on Tampa area homes ... all for the benefit of at-risk youth.

Clayton -- who won the Super Bowl with the Giants back in 2012 -- started the LAF project in the Tampa area a couple years ago, which provides housing and mentorship for kids who have aged out of the foster system.

"They are 18-23 and have no assistance, not prepared for life at all. The goal is to get them to the point where they can exist in society."

Michael tells TMZ Sports he sank $50,000 of his own money into the project and that the 12 young men staying in his housing will have top-notch digs to call home.

"I got seven construction crews around the Tampa area -- the place has all the bells and whistles, granite table tops, brand new baseboards the whole nine."

Clayton says he plans to be involved in every area of the young men's lives while they live on the property, including mentoring them personally, providing hands on life coaching.

"I'm around there every day, a lot of them aren't ready to go out into the world, they're rough, but once we're finished, hopefully they'll be polished enough to get out there."