First of an 11-part series. Coming tomorrow: running backs.

Desmond Ridder is even tough to beat at made-up games.

For 20 minutes in the middle of every Thursday practice, while the rest of the Cincinnati football team drilled special teams, Gino Guidugli kept quarterbacks sharp by playing “Skip Catch.” The object of this two-on-two game of his creation is to skim a throw off the top of a raised net: One point if your partner catches the ball, minus one point if the throw doesn’t clear the net because it’s a warning sign your elbow is too low.

“If you are playing PlayStation, if you are playing checkers, if you are playing sand volleyball, you are going to pick Desmond first,” Guidugli, Cincinnati’s quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator throughout Ridder’s career, told The Post. “He’s going to go on a 10-game winning streak in the season on ‘Skip Catch’ regardless of who his partner is. It’s just a little game, but he takes it seriously. He’s not going to lose.”

Same goes for Ridder’s approach to football games.

Ridder went 44-6 — the third-most wins in FBS history, behind Kellen Moore and Colt McCoy — including 26-0 at home as a four-year starter. The combination of his athleticism and intangibles could lead Ridder to become the third quarterback picked in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

“He might be because some people love his leadership, winning and competitiveness,” one scouting source said.

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Ridder and Guidugli rank No. 1 and No. 2 in one order or the other in most career passing categories at Cincinnati. After the 2020 season, when Ridder was considering entering the draft, his coach gave him an honest assessment of three areas needing improvement: completion percentage, accuracy on passes deeper than 20 yards and showing more anticipation.

“He came back and did every one of those things better,” said Guidugli, who says criticisms of Ridder’s ball placement are “nitpicking” because of the consistent arc of improvement. “I think there’s still room for growth on the next level. You are getting a franchise quarterback and everything you want in a first-round quarterback: Great in the locker room, great in the community, the ultimate competitor and a winner.”

In an imperfect quarterback class, the 6-foot-3, 207-pound Ridder offers prototypical size and coveted experience. If the Falcons, Commanders Seahawks, Saints or Steelers miss out on those traits because the Panthers grabbed Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, they could pivot to Ridder rather than bank on the projection needed with Liberty’s Malik Willis and other top options. Those five needy teams each select twice after the Panthers at No. 6 and by pick No. 52.

“The reason he has risen in some people’s minds is he is the only other guy with all the physical skills,” former NFL general manager Randy Mueller told The Post. “His administration of the offense is good, but the closer he has to deal with pressure, that strength goes away. He misses too many easy throws. I have more polished quarterbacks [ranked] ahead of him, but he was better than he was in 2020 so you see the glass half-full.”

Despite 50 career starts, Mueller says Ridder’s best path is to sit as a rookie like recent first-rounders Trey Lance and Patrick Mahomes. Ridder totaled 87 career passing touchdowns and 12,148 yards of total offense, including 2,179 yards (and 28 touchdowns) rushing.

“He has a knack for knowing the timing of when to run and when to just relocate and buy a second for the receiver to clear,” Guidugli said. “Early in his career, he would go first read, second read, take off. He grew into that guy that says, ‘Hey, I can get this done with my arm, as well.’ ”

ESPN quarterback analyst Dan Orlovsky called Ridder’s game against Indiana last season “the best quarterback tape” in the 2022 class and compared him to three-time Pro Bowler Alex Smith (No. 1 overall pick in 2005) for his pre-snap to post-snap operation of an offense.

“Because of his preparation, he had the keys to the car,” Guidugli said. “He was going to identify the [middle linebacker], he was going to ID the front, he was going to set and adjust the protection. He had the ability to check from pass to run or run to pass, or to change the RPOs. He was given a lot of freedom in our offense. That is earned.”

Wins are Ridder’s preferred currency.