NFL's Shawne Merriman -- Tom Brady Is Right ... Trump's The Man!!!

Ex-NFL superstar Shawne Merriman says he and Tom Brady are on the same page -- backing Donald Trump ... saying straight up he's the BEST candidate out there!

The 3-time Pro Bowler says he's been good friends with Trump for a while -- and he's NOT scared off by Donald's recent proposal to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.

"He's a good friend of mine," Merriman tells TMZ Sports ... "He's a little bit more honest than others."