Forgive me - been ages since I did NHFS, but isn't this an ineligable receiver?
He's ineligible in any level of ball. But if attempts to catch the ball, it's also Illegal Touching. Since the penalty for Illegal Touching is worse than that for Ineligible Downfield (it includes loss of down), ignore the Ineligible Downfield and enforce the Illegal Touching.
You could signal both penalties, say the first is declined, and then signal and enforce the second, but that's overkill.
Had he NOT tried to catch the ball (and touched it), it is still an Ineligible Downfield foul.