In reality, there are always about 25 players returning or transferring in to a program on the Fall roster who are a lock to be on the final Spring roster. So really it is a competition for those final 10 spots that is what those on the margin need to be worried about. The teams with about 40-45 on the Fall roster will sort through that list and some players will be hurt and be Redshirted, some incoming Frosh will be redshirted to allow for some growth and development, and then the rest will cut or will be encouraged to quit if they did not figure it out on their own.
The competition can scare away some kids, but if you look at the really good programs, the roster competition creates a culture of players striving to get better, be accountable, be a supportive teammate, keep your grades up, etc. All of those are solid life lessons to learn, and even if a kid does not survive the cut, he should be better equipped for life after college for having gone through it. Not all competitions are fair, but learning to compete is still a valuable skill to acquire regardless of the end result.