For 27 minutes on the night of April 23, it seemed possible linebacker Arvell Reese and safety Caleb Downs would be able to share a moving van from Columbus, Ohio, to East Rutherford. 

Instead, the two former Ohio State teammates will begin their highly anticipated rookie seasons on opposite sides of a storied rivalry instead of together in blue, as Reese’s Giants host Downs’ Cowboys on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 1. 

The Giants drafted Reese with the No. 5 pick (at 8:32 p.m.) and right guard Sisi Mauigoa with No. 10 (8:59 p.m.) — twice passing on Downs, who was left for the eager Cowboys on a trade up to No. 11. 

“I was in the back room when the pick was made, and I did think about [teaming up], like ‘Dang, that would’ve been nice,’ ” Reese told The Post. “Then again, we got Sisi, and Sisi’s a dawg. There’s no wrong pick.”