STARKVILLE — Dan Mullen doesn’t have a timetable for naming a starting quarterback.

The Mississippi State football coach is in the process of replacing Dak Prescott, who broke 38 school records and was drafted last week by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (135th pick overall) of the NFL draft. But after 15 spring practices, Mullen didn’t see any of the four quarterbacks separate themselves, so the picture is still unclear.

“If it’s decided at the end of the first week of training camp or the third week of training camp, game week, or game four of the season, we’re going to have to be able to adjust and do what’s best for the team,” Mullen said Thursday on a Southeastern Conference teleconference.

Rising junior Damian Williams, rising sophomores Nick Fitzgerald and Elijah Staley, and redshirt freshman Nick Tiano had inconsistent springs. However, Mullen said none of them played themselves out of consideration to be the starter when MSU plays host to South Alabama on Sept. 3.

Prescott wasn’t only the quarterback, but he was the leader of the team, which was evident in the summer when he organized team workouts. That is the kind of leadership Mullen wants to see from his four young quarterbacks. He feels that is where someone can gain separation.

“We’re just going to kind of sort through it until we feel someone’s separated themselves to give us the best opportunity to win,” Mullen said. “If that person separates themselves to be No. 1, then we’ll start looking for who’s going to be No. 2.”

Williams, who was redshirted last season, has the most experience. He has completed 70 passes in 12 games. He played as a freshman in 2013 and started against Ole Miss in the Battle for the Golden Egg. He backed up Prescott as a sophomore.

Fitzgerald and Staley backed up Prescott last season, but they have combined for 19 pass attempts.

Mullen has a history of playing more than one quarterback. In 2013, Prescott and Tyler Russell split time as the starter. Both sustained injuries that year, but Mullen let them split time when they were healthy. Williams played later in the year because of injuries.

“You have to have more than one quarterback ready because you’re a play away from the No. 2 guy going in there to play,” Mullen said. “The team has to be ready for not just one, but multiple quarterbacks.”

Mullen feels like there is no rush to name a starting quarterback. He wants the position to play out for as long as it needs to to find the right guy.

“You have to be very, very flexible,” Mullen said. “No situations are ever the same. I think if you kind of paint yourself into a corner, you’re not going to be very successful.”

n In other news, Mullen had no update on signee and former Noxubee County High School standout Jeffery Simmons.

The Macon Police Department arrested Simmons and charged him with simple assault and disturbing the peace after a video surfaced in late March that allegedly shows Simmons striking a woman.

Mullen said during spring camp he wanted to gather more information to make a better decision about Simmons’ future with the program. When asked how his evaluation has gone so far, Mullen responded, “Good.”

n After underclassmen Beniquez Brown and De’Runnya Wilson weren’t selected in the NFL draft, Mullen will stick to his plan concerning underclassmen leaving early.

“The advice I’d give to future players is the same advice I gave to them: make sure you’re doing your research, be very, very smart, and try to listen to people that hopefully you trust and are going to help you make the right decision,” Mullen said.

Linebacker Brown signed a free-agent deal with the Green Bay Packers. Wide receiver Wilson signed a free-agent deal with the New England Patriots.

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.