For Gerris Wilkinson, 2010 is all about change.

The linebacker is switching over to middle linebacker from outside. And he has swapped his old jersey number of 59 -– which he gladly sold to fellow linebacker Michael Boley for an undisclosed amount -– for 58, the number previously owned by Antonio Pierce.

Not only is Wilkinson trying to play like a middle linebacker now, he wants to look like one.

“(Number) 59 hadn’t been super lucky for me over the past few years,” the fourth-year pro said in Manhattan while attending Justin Tuck’s celebrity billiards tournament to benefit R.U.S.H. For Literacy on Thursday night. “So I was kind of looking forward to changing my number. I know 58 comes with a lot of stuff behind it in terms of A.P. and Carl Banks. I think people see it more as a middle linebacker-type number.”

“I just know that once I get on the field, I think I am going to surprise a lot of people this year.”

The former third-round pick is hoping to reinvigorate a career that has been slowed by injuries. The 6-3, 231-pound linebacker has only played in a total of 17 games the last two seasons, compiling just 19 tackles combined.

But with Pierce’s old job vacant, Wilkinson hopes to beat out Jonathan Goff, rookie Phillip Dillard and Chase Blackburn to occupy one of the most important positions on the field.

So far, Goff has gotten most of the reps with the first team in the Giants’ offseason training activity practices. Dillard has played mostly with the second team and Wilkinson has seen time with the third team and second team at times.

“I love playing the middle,” Wilkinson said. “That is what I played at Georgia Tech. It feels kind of natural to me. I haven’t really been too worried about the whole situation. We will see where it ends up in September.”

Wilkinson said the biggest difference for him in the switch is in pass coverage. Covering the middle of the field has been an adjustment. So has developing a middle linebacker mentality.

New defensive coordinator Perry Fewell wants Wilkinson to take charge of the defense when he is in.

“The tough part about it is getting four or five reps in a practice and wanting to be that guy,” Wilkinson said. “To be that guy you have to get those reps and earn the respect of your teammates and that comes with making plays and being on the field which everybody will have a chance to do once camp starts.”

Wilkinson hopes that being one of the older linebackers now and having experience will help him in what will be the most watched competition in Giants camp this summer.

Wilkinson, 27, knows this is a major opportunity for him. And he’s ready for a complete change.

“It has been a pretty rocky road for me so far but I feel like I have never been so excited going into a season,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of time to get my feet on the ground being in the NFL and being with the Giants. I am very ready for the season.”