Am I about to get played?

I (22F) started texting a guy (23M) I met at work about two weeks ago. Let's call him John. When we were texting, John seemed really nice, kind of shy, and genuinely interested in me. Not to mention he's very cute. I really didn't know anything about him at the time, so I probed a mutual friend for information. This friend told me that John is NOT who I assumed he was. He specifically said that John is "only about himself. He will never put your feelings before his." I also found out John has slept with 5 of my coworkers (for context: I'm a nurse). Specifically, John was sleeping with one of my coworkers for several months and she really had feelings for him, but he didn't want to get serious.

I'm really not interested in that kind of relationship. There's nothing wrong with sleeping around, I
just don't need that right now. I finished chemotherapy in August and haven't been with anyone in over a year and a half. Chemotherapy warped my body image, and I want to be with someone who makes me feel beautiful and helps me grow. If I started sleeping with him, I know I would get very attached. So, I stopped all communication with John because it doesn't seem like he can give me that.

Yesterday (Monday), John texts me again. I'm trying to curve him and be nice about it. However, things took a turn and I ended up bringing up that I know he's nailed several other nurses and has a reputation for being a player. He didn't deny it and told me he'd tell me anything I wanted to know. John ALSO told me he went to get drinks with our mutual friend who told John about our conversation. John said, "I know you've been told I'm not looking for a relationship. I wouldn't say that's true."

When I asked our mutual friend about this convo, our friend told me that my name came up in a drunken conversation. Our friend straight up told John that I asked about him, and that told me John is selfish and a player. Apparently John just laughed it off and didn't say anything. This happened over the weekend, and this is when John texted me again two days later after I hadn't been talking to him.

Our mutual friend has no reason to lie to me, and John acknowledged that. I am not trying to be nurse #6 in John's body count. He's not my direct coworker, he's a paramedic, so I don't have to see him all the time. There's so many red flags here and conflicting information that I don't know what to believe. Part of me wants to drop him all together, and another part of me wants to know if he's genuinely interested. Do I keep talking to him? Thoughts?