Baker Mayfield has a pretty polarizing reputation in the NFL ... but Lavonte David is here to set the record straight on who the quarterback REALLY is -- telling TMZ Sports the former No. 1 overall pick is actually very "humble" and a great guy to be around.

The retired Buccaneers linebacker played with Mayfield when the quarterback joined Tampa in 2023 -- and admitted he initially expected him to match the outside perception of being cocky and kind of a diva at times.

"He's nothing what people say," David said.

"Baker is not only a great teammate for me, but he's a great friend. I'm a fan of Baker, honestly. Just the way he carries himself, his charisma, his swag."

David continued to praise the two-time Pro Bowler's character, but added no one will really understand until they meet Mayfield themselves -- something Lavonte hopes more people get the chance to experience.

He also spoke about Mayfield's talent on the field, saying his move to Tampa Bay gave him the chance to really show the player he truly is -- similar to his days with the Oklahoma Sooners.

"Him going out there, putting the team on his back and talking trash, stuff like that -- we feed off that," David said. "We love that. We love to see him go. It gets us going!"

David knows a thing or two about elite quarterbacks with great personalities. He also played with Tom Brady for multiple seasons ... and they won Super Bowl LV together.