WR C.J. Sanders leaving Brentwood Academy

C.J. Sanders has a football scholarship offer from Stanford among his options, but the Brentwood Academy junior is heading west before his high school career is over.

His family is moving back to California, where he lived for seven years. The 5-9 receiver, who has offers from Tennessee and Vanderbilt, among others, will leave school at the end of the spring semester and attend Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks for his senior year.

"My mom sat me down and explained that she thought it would be best for us to move back," Sanders said. "Family comes first. It's going to be tough leaving these guys and these coaches, but I'm excited. It's a new part of the journey. It'll be an adjustment, but I think I'll be ready for it."

MORE:Vols commitment transfers to Gallatin

Sanders attended Montgomery Bell Academy — where his father, former Titans receiver Chris Sanders, is an assistant coach — as an eighth-grader before moving to Brentwood Academy a year later.

When asked why the family was moving, his mother, Stacie Harris, said:

"It has nothing to do with Brentwood. Within the last four weeks as a family we had things that came up for all of us. We sat down as a family and discussed it, spoke with his dad about it, fasted about it, prayed about it and decided (to move)."

Harris is married to former Vanderbilt and NFL player Corey Harris.

MORE: Ensworth cornerback recommits to Vanderbilt

Sanders was a Division II-AA Mr. Football finalist and a Tennessean All-Midstate second-team selection last fall after posting 52 receptions for 734 yards and 12 touchdowns while scoring five more times on rushes and returns.

"You can't replace his talent, but most importantly, you can't replace him in the locker room," Brentwood Academy coach Cody White said. "He's a great kid with great character.

"I spoke with Stacie and C.J. on Monday and we held a team meeting on Tuesday. It was very emotional. They're leaving for all the right reasons. We stress faith, family and academics above athletics. They've made a family decision, and we honor and applaud that. The good thing is, he's going to have a chance to impact another group of young men and he's going to do that in a positive manner."

Sanders also has scholarship offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Cal, Northwestern and Duke.

He also has had acting roles — appearing as a young Ray Charles in the 2004 movie Ray and in the HBO series Six Feet Under.

Barton Simmons, a Nashville-based recruiting analyst for 247sports.com, said the move may improve Stanford's chances of signing Sanders.

"He's a high-academic kid that any school in the country can recruit," Simmons said. "He's got interests outside of football. I think it helps Stanford because he's going to be out there ... Now he's going to be a little closer and it'll be a little easier to get up there and build those relationships. It probably hurts a school like a Vanderbilt or a Tennessee in terms of building those relationships."

Reach Maurice Patton at 615-259-8018 and on Twitter @mopatton_sports.