I was gonna run the wix filter, just fyi, napa gold products are re packaged wix filters...
The reason the external pump isnt the best option is because a ext pump is much louder, and prone to overheat with the high demand of the system. One of the reasons the pump goes in tank is so the pump can be "cooled" by the fuel.
It doesnt make it a horrible idea, lots of guys still run it this way... May just be a good idea to have a spare pump handy if you plan a long road trip, and be aware of the extra noise.