Jets’ playoff hopes fueled by Garrett Wilson, 2022 rookies

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Wide receiver Garrett Wilson went left, went right and slithered his way through the crowd, finding daylight. TV lights, actually.

In the New York Jets’ victorious locker room last week, Wilson, who has a knack for finding open space, penetrated a pack of reporters and joined teammate Breece Hall at a makeshift podium. In a playful mood, Wilson leaned into Hall, listening as the running back explained how they pulled off an improbable 13-10 overtime win over the New York Giants.

“Luckily,” Hall told the TV cameras and microphones, “Zach [Wilson] and Garrett did their thing, so it was a blessing.”

Garrett Wilson put his left arm around Hall, who scored the game’s only touchdown, and gave him an appreciative squeeze. Standing on the periphery of the scrum, waiting his turn in the media spotlight, was cornerback Sauce Gardner. Not far from him was defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who spoke to reporters at his locker after the first two-sack game of his career.

There, within a few yards of each other in the plush bowels of MetLife Stadium, stood a big chunk of the present and future of the Jets. Gardner, Wilson, Johnson and Hall — members of the celebrated draft class of 2022 — represent the Jets’ “Core Four” of players under the age of 25. Or maybe they should be known as the “Restore Four” because of what they’ve meant to the previously downtrodden Jets (4-3), who hope to snap a 12-year playoff drought.

“Franchise-defining,” coach Robert Saleh said of their ’22 draft, which produced the NFL offensive and defensive rookies of the year in…