I've heard this argument for 25 years....
Where to put the fuel filter?
Camp A says as you do: protect the pump from wear and get the filter further away from heat - so run the filter before the pump.
Camp B says: the pump lobes really don't wear much; a filter before the suction pump can make a marginal gas flow problem critical; a filter leak before the pump (which acts as a nifty stop valve) can empty a tank of gas on your driveway (and changing a filter entails more spill)
...and other arguments.
I've never been solidly swayed either way except to rail against more modern filters and pumps IN tanks, which are just plain stupid (and our older vettes have similar fuel "socks" - mine is clogged now.) The same is true of the carb fitting filters like on quadrajunks - big, weird, easily damaged and leak prone threads - just. plain. STOOPID! All wear prone parts in a system should be readily and inexpensively accessible. The tank should have a sump which feeds an EXTERNAL pump (carbed OR FI) and the filters should also be easily changed.
I end up putting the filter where I can reach it and change it easiest, as long as it's away from rotating parts and before the fuel pressure gauge. I usually get insane on insulating all the piping to it, it and from it against heat.
Yeah, you really do want the line from the pump out to be a metal line or high end flexible hose (real braided SS, line such as AN6, AN8 or AN10, with or without the good $10 a connection fittings.) I would offer one easier alternative to hard to bend without kinking SS or steel though - aluminum.
You can get a roll of aluminum tubing, typically 3/8", but 1/2" and 5/16" are also used for this, for $25 a roll or a couple of bucks a foot. It's super easy to bend decently and it's tough, cuts and flares nicely with the commonest of pipe tools. There are a few places or applications where the softer nature of it makes it less desirable than SS or steel, but these are rare.
Really make sure that line from the pump does not contact the engine without insulation - especially aluminum heads or intake. The heat will transfer easily - especially after a brief shutdown on a hot day when restarting. You don't have to get real exotic on this, a small piece of fuel or vacuum hose around the line at any key contact point is enough, but the insulated clamps are the nicest way to go.