Which of the following is considered a legal forward pass?

A legal forward pass in football is one that is thrown from behind the line of scrimmage to an eligible receiver. When the pass is thrown from in front of the line of scrimmage, it does not meet the criteria for a forward pass. Instead, it is classified as an illegal forward pass. Therefore, understanding that a legal forward pass must originate from behind the line of scrimmage is crucial.

In this context, the choice indicating a pass thrown from in front of the line of scrimmage is not valid for a forward pass, but the correct answer is focused on how forward passes are defined in the context of the game and the significance of where the pass is initiated. The distinction of where the player is when making the throw determines the legality of the forward pass.

The other options detail scenarios that do not qualify as legal forward passes. A pass thrown behind the line of scrimmage does not meet the requirement of being a forward pass, as it is simply classified as a backward pass. A pass thrown after a player is downed is not legal since a player must be up to be able to throw a pass. Lastly, a lateral pass caught by an opponent does not constitute a forward pass, as laterals are